SHIELD 0-8-4 Protocol
by a62belle
Summary: Skye is taken by S.H.I.E.L.D. when they find out about her possible gifted status. Just what will Coulson do to get her back? Skoulson


Skye's gone. She was taken in by a couple ruthless Level 6 agents. It was raining. Of course it was raining. It was raining when his father died too. It was raining when S.H.I.E.L.D. told him that he could no longer contact his beloved cellist.

They found out after all. Despite all that her AC had done to keep her secret under wraps, even lied to Nick Fury, whom Skye knew he respected and obeyed beyond all, just to keep her safe from the clutches of S.H.I.E.L.D., they still found out about her 0-8-4 status.

"You did all that you could for her," May says as she walks into Coulson's office.

His eyes turn ice blue, a clear sign to back off immediately.

"Don't you dare say I've done all I could for her!" he shouts, as he jumps out of his seat in an attack position the usually stoic agent losing all resemblance of his cool.

"Calm down Phil!" May shouts, trying to appease the senior agent in front of her, "S.H.I.E.L.D. is the best spy organisation in the world. One spy, even one as talented and dedicated as yourself can't beat them at a game of hide-and-seek."

Coulson walks round his desk looking entirely like a pissed-off lion. He pushes May out of the room, something no one has ever dared to do, and locks it behind her.

He can hear the pounding of the door, he'd be deaf not to, but he doesn't care. He slowly breaks down at his desk, sinking to the floor. He never got the chance to say 'I love you' to her. Never will, now. Once in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s grasp, forever in their grasp.

She reminds him so much of his first protege, now a Level 7 agent in charge of the 0-8-4 department in her late thirties, Jeneive Taylor.

Suddenly, with a flash of inspiration, he picks up the phone, dialling the number of his protege.

"Agent Taylor speaking," says a curt voice at the other end.

"Agent Coulson," he replies, mimicking her greeting, an old joke. They had remained good friends over the years, and she was one of the youngest ever to enter the ranks of S.H.I.E.L.D., studying at the Operations Academy as early as when she was twelve, but there was never any romance, she was already engaged to a doctor named Winston.

"Phil! How nice to hear your voice again! I'm surprised you were able to call in as an agent. I thought the 0-8-4 situation would be your end," she says lightly. He winces at the other end of the line, she obviously doesn't share his commitment to this certain 0-8-4.

"Being Fury's 'one good eye' has it's perks," he says dryly, "and about the 0-8-4 situation, I was wondering if you could do a favour for me."

"If it's letting her go, I'm sorry I can't ," she says, cutting him to the point.

"How did you know?"

"S.H.I.E.L.D. conversations are never private. I was forced to be the one overseeing your 'personal' conversations with your sister, Cassandra, at the Fridge. You sound like a love-sick teenager," she says, ironically.

"You're goddamn annoying you know that?" he says, firing up.

"You sound like Charm School Graduate Supreme when you're talking about her. I can't let her go because I'm not the one in charge of her. You'll have to look for Hill for that," she replies.

"Help me arrange a conversation with her then," he groans, defeated.

"Sure can do, Phil. By the way, is is true that she calls you AC?"

"Hill, listen to me. She's of no danger to anyone. I can personally vouch for her," Coulson says desperately to the stern woman on the screen in front of him.

"Unfortunately, your vouching no longer holds any standing in the 0-8-4 department. You're suspended from dealing with any 0-8-4 related missions until further notice. Which reminds me, has Fury seen you about lying to him yet?" Maria Hill replies, looking remarkably unruffled at the desperate-looking man in front of her. She never thought him one to do personal. Then again, this wasn't the Phil Coulson she used to know, he certainly wouldn't lie to his own agency to protect a coward from the Rising Tide.

Coulson shakes his head, "Are you sure you can't return her? Let us handle to investigation in house?"

"She will be returned as your asset after investigations into her parentage, ancestry and blood are done. If she's safe, that is. If she's not."

Hill doesn't need to finish. They'll blow a hole in her brain, Coulson knows the standard protocol for if Skye is too dangerous for any organisation or person, including Phil Coulson, to have.

"Can I at least, as her commanding officer, visit her?" he deadpans.

"A visit will be arranged in 36 hours," she replies curtly, signing off.

Coulson knows this will be the longest 36 hours of his life.

He doesn't expect what he sees. Skye looks about the same, as beautiful as ever, but there is a hollowness, in her eyes. Despair, where hopefulness once resided.

"Skye," he gasps, as the girl sits up and rotates her body to him. And her eyes suddenly light up, as if he's the best sight she's ever seen.

"AC!" she shouts, running into his open arms. She feel safe for the first time since she's been taken.

"Skye," he whispers once again, and he realises it's a now-or-never situation, "I'minlovewithyou."

"I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that," she says, as calmly as possible even though her heart is beating faster than a car going at a hundred miles an hour, could the man who secretly stole her heart actually be saying what she hopes he's saying?

Stop being foolish, Skye, she thinks, haven't you had your heart broken with Miles enough to last you multiple lifetimes?

Coulson draws a deep breath, "I'm in love with you."

He waits in dreadful silence as she says nothing. There's the rejection he always knew would happen, but he did not anticipate the sting.

"I know I'm too old for you, and you deserve someone better, but I just needed to tell you, you," he begins, when he suddenly feels the warmth of another's lips on his.

It's over too soon, the chaste little kiss, for Coulson's comfort, yet he knows anything longer will be the undoing of him.

"I love you too," Skye replies softly, before pushing her lips onto his again, offering entry to his tongue, which he so gratefully takes advantage of.

In another room, Maria Hill is watching the entire thing on the security camera.

She dials a number immediately, "Director Fury, there's something you've got to see about a certain Agent Phillip John Coulson," she says wickedly, sending him the live video stream, somewhat repulsed.

So that's why Coulson wanted Skye to be returned so badly, Director Fury thinks upon watching the video. He loves her.

S.H.I.E.L.D. had already ruined his love-life once, he reflected, and Skye was clear by the numerous tests already administered to her. Plus, there was a science duo capable of doing such routine tests with more accuracy than anyone else on Coulson's team. He needed to trust his 'one good eye's' judgement.

Picking up his phone, he dials the head of the 0-8-4 department, "Agent Taylor, send me the release forms of an 0-8-4 named Skye."

With a little luck, she'll be released and on the Bus in half a week.

"S.H.I.E.L.D.'s sending us a replacement for Skye?" asks Agent May in shock and horror, the team was far from ready to accept a new member of their team.

'Yes," Coulson says in a dead tone, "apparently, she's a S.H.I.E.L.D. asset who's been in the system for the last few months or so. Spent some time as a consultant. She's an agent-in-training. S.H.I.E.L.D. thought it'd be good for Ward to have another protege under his belt. She's also a possible gifted, so they'd like Fitzsimmons to run some tests. No other information was provided. I hope she's a nice one, S.H.I.E.L.D. recruited about a dozen female consultants in the last few months."

May nods, she knows him well enough to know he'll never accept the new asset. Hell, none of the team would. Until they find her standing by the door.

"Hey AC, I'm the new member of your team, care to show me my new bunk?" she asks jokingly.

"You're, you're the 'new' consultant?" he asks, shocked while May walks subtly to the corner to get a hold of her emotions. An e-mail suddenly appears on his screen, the 0-8-4 human protocol apparently changed.

He offers his arm in a joking gentlemanly behaviour, leading her to her bunk.

"Wow, which Charm School did you go to?" she asks jokingly as she walks down the corridor.

"Somethings are natural," he smiles, as they both walk into her room.

They lie on the bed together, undressed, smiling at each other as he pulls her in for an embrace. He and his 0-8-4. He decides he likes the new 0-8-4 protocol.


End file.
